Roy Sakuma is recognized as Hawaii’s foremost ukulele teacher
and proponent of the instrument.

Innovative, inspirational, warm, funny and kind are all words used to describe Roy. In over 30 years
of teaching the ukulele, he has been all of these things and more in his role as teacher, producer,
promoter and inspiration to thousands of students and the island community that benefits from his
talents.

In the 1960′s, as America’s youth latched onto the larger, louder, more swaggering
guitar, the little instrument from Hawaii was relegated to the attic. Roy knew the instrument’s
true worth. And so for over the past 30 years, with his wife Kathy, and their staff of instructors
and supporters, his mission has been to spread the joy of the ukulele teaching students and promoting the annual Ukulele Festival, the largest ukulele festival
of its kind in the world.

The ukulele has come a long way. It’s cool to play the ukulele. Youngsters jam at school
between classes, at the park and the mall.The ukulele embraces everyone who hears it.

As Roy Sakuma understood decades ago, that’s the irresistible charm of the ukulele.